Police in Bern, Switzerland, apprehended an unlicensed acupuncturist after the man refused to attend his trial for intentionally infecting 16 people with HIV.

The unnamed man was originally arrested after allegedly using various pretexts to jab victims with needles and purposefully infect them with HIV between 2001 and 2005.

After he refused to show at the court house, a SWAT team was forced to storm the man’s home on Friday. The AP reports his capture came after a daylong standoff in which the man threatened cops with a gun and a samurai sword.

He’s has been taken in for a medical examination before the resumption of the criminal trial, where prosecutors are asking for a 15-year prison sentence.

Unless the people getting acupuncture specifically asked whether the needles were infected, and they took no precautions such as taking anti-virals before and after the procedure, then they assumed the risk and got what they deserved. Yes, I’m making fun of the usual contingent that always defends deliberately infecting unknowing victims, because it’s the exact same ridiculous argument they make.

Mar 19, 2013 at 7:02 pm · @Reply ·

2eo

@Merv: What’s funny is the fact you are absolutely spot on yet you will get the same people berating you for being correct.

He might post links to his blog again, because it was so riveting the other dozen times.

But it’s not the same. The precautionary steps you take for getting acupuncture include doing some research on your own of the individual/organization and checking up on credentials. For sex, you wear a rubber. That’s it. As long as you stay protected during sex, you’re fine, your risk transmission is so negligible it’s not worth mentioning. With acupuncture, you see to make sure they’re using one-use needles–so they should be removing them from the packaging in front of you and throwing them away when they’re done. Yes, you’re assuming risk in ANYTHING that you do, but it’s totally apples to oranges here. The comparison you’re trying to draw doesn’t make sense. With sex, there’s a conscious choice every encounter to use protection or not. With acupuncture, there’s what I mentioned earlier, but it’s not like you’re saying “Hey, this time, let’s go with some OLD needles, just for shits and giggles.” You cannot compare the two.

And keep in mind, there’s a difference between having unprotected sex with anyone you want without asking any questions and having sex with someone who is deliberately trying to infect you. That’s a key piece you’re missing here–there isn’t inherent risk in acupuncture (rather, it’s low) but this guy was on a mission. “Precautions” in this case don’t really matter since he deliberately circumvented them.

Mar 20, 2013 at 6:00 am · @Reply ·

Merv

Most acupuncture needles do not contain HIV, and someone consenting to “condomless” acupuncture needles is not consenting to being infected. Most people, and most gay men, do not have HIV. Although it’s very very unwise to have unprotected sex, it’s wrong to assume that someone consenting to it is also consenting to being infected. The thought of somebody deliberately infecting someone in that situation is repugnant. Just because the results don’t manifest themselves immediately, doesn’t mean that such a person is not deliberately causing grievous injury or death.

Mar 20, 2013 at 4:23 pm · @Reply ·

John

What a horrible thing to do to people.

Imagine the lies he told to people, the trust among innocent folks who thought they were getting treatment only to learn their life had been changed permanently for a moments misplaced trust in another fellow human being for his own sadistic aims, and now they must battle illness forever. A horrible assault that’s renewed daily so they can never forget.

Imagine how they must feel, and this monster only got 12 years for 16 lives. Just awful.